As always, I claim no ownership to Naruto or to Hikari Aino. I own only the contents of this story.

Constructive criticism is warmly welcomed and appreciated. I'm an aspiring writer currently studying at University to write stories and other literary works and I need to know if I'm on the right track or if I need to improve on some aspects. So please, review if you can. Lately, I get the impression people are just reading my stories and completely ignoring my requests – very annoying!

Thanks xx

FIGHT ON THE HOSPITAL ROOFTOP

"Et tu, Brute?"
― William Shakespeare, 'Julius Caesar'

~HIKARI P.O.V~

Two weeks had passed since Naruto and Sasuke left to go and find our new Hokage and bring her back to the village … and I was about ready to climb the walls. Finally, I ran like the hounds of hell were snapping at my heels to the gate, excited to see my boys again, only to see that Sakura was there waiting just as impatiently as I felt.

I paused a few meters away from her and hesitated before forcing myself to walk over. Sakura and I hadn't been on the greatest of terms since our match at the Chunnin exams, mostly because she was still completely damn set certain that her heart belonged to Sasuke and that I was poisoning him against her – despite the countless times he had told her to fuck off, and the rather obvious gestures he had made towards me (not that I'm singing my own praises – I'm just observant) such as casually draping his arm around my shoulders whenever Team Seven had been summoned for a specific mission – Naruto likes to hold my hand whenever he's not fighting with Sasuke – or the rare sneaky kisses to my cheek, temple or hair.

As though sensing me, she turned and her calm, carefree face instantly disappears and an ugly scowl forms. I rolled my eyes and moved to sit Indian style next to the lookout post next to the gate. Neither of us spoke to each other until, I suddenly noticed four figures heading for the Village. One figure was so obviously Naruto, due to the bright garish tracksuit he always wore while the others were dressed in fairly dark or neutral colours – typical of any respectable shinobi worth their salt. Sakura and I squealed happily (for different reasons) and I practically barrelled my way through the gate's threshold towards my 'family', followed closely by Sakura who tried to elbow her way passed to where Sasuke was.

"Hi, Hikari-ch … OOF!"

I collided with Naruto and we landed heavily on his back.

"Ow! Whatcha do that for?" Naruto complained. I giggled and kissed his whiskered cheek in a sisterly way.

"Sorry, Naruto. I'm just so glad that you're home!" I start squeezing him again before somebody incredibly strong grabs me around the waist and pulls me off of Naruto who grins at me despite my overly enthusiastic greeting. I glance over at who had pulled me off and saw a tall woman with blonde hair in two low ponytails and a massive chest staring back at me with a raised eyebrow. My eyes widened at the view and I tried my best to avoid glancing at the wrong place. She placed me back on the ground and Naruto grinned at her.

"Baa-chan, this is one of my best friends, Hikari Aino." The woman formed a fist and bashed Naruto over the head. I jumped back in shock. Ok, then. Don't piss this one off … I thought uncomfortably as I extended a hand towards him to help Naruto up.

"I thought I told you not to call me that, brat." The woman stated in a calm voice that promised pain if Naruto insulted her again. Naruto sat up and scratched the back of his head chuckling awkwardly before accepting my hand.

"Heh, sorry."

She then turned her attention on me. "Aino, huh?" I nodded, wondering where she was going with this. "You wouldn't have come from the Land of Snow, would you?" I felt my eyes widen with surprise.

"Yes, how did you know?" I asked. The woman smiled slightly.

"I've passed through the village a couple of times, heard stories of a massacre that had once happened there." My stomach flips uncomfortably. "The Aino clan, I think the name was." My face falls and I felt Naruto sidle up to me and grab my hand as the woman smiles sympathetically at me. "My condolences." I squeezed Naruto's gratefully, before realising that I should've felt another hand trying to give me comfort. I glanced around for my unofficial boyfriend.

"Hey where's Sasuke-kun?" Sakura demanded as I moved around searching for him. Naruto instantly greets her.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" He's ignored and I bristle at the hurt expression on his face. But didn't expect much from the sulky little bitch anyhow.

"He's fine, just knocked out." An unfamiliar voice pipes up. Sakura and I glance behind the blonde woman to see a petite woman with black hair cut into a pixie cut bob and dressed in black and blue ninja attire. She seemed to be slightly struggling under the dead weight of a person on her back – which we realised, was Sasuke. I came over and peered closer at his face, Sakura right behind me trying to shove me aside to attend to him herself. To all intents and purposes, Sasuke was okay – just looked a little bruised and tired. But Sakura and I could see a black and blue ring around Sasuke's neck.

"What happened?" I asked indicating Sasuke's sore looking neck. I shivered at the icy tone in Naruto's voice when he explained.

"Sasuke's brother, Itachi, and his weird fish-like friend ambushed him at the hotel we were searching for Tsunade-baa chan at." He narrowly avoided the fist swinging at his head in favour for answering any other questions we might have. Sakura looked horrified, but I was feeling more along the lines of exasperated and pissed off.

"So the idiot decided to take him on then and there?" Sakura looked offended.

"Don't call Sasuke-kun a moron!" she shrieked. I ignored her as Naruto continued.

"Actually, he saved my butt ... again." He sounded less than happy that Sasuke had managed to make him look weak. "Itachi and that fish freak were trying to kidnap me."

"Why?" I frowned.

Naruto shrugged but still looked slightly freaked out himself, apparently from the almost abduction. But before he could reply, Tsunade interrupted.

"As fascinating as this conversation is, we should discuss it further in my office, AFTER I've attended to these patients they've (she indicated Naruto and the unconscious Sasuke) spoken of." We nodded and turned to escort her into the Village. Tsunade paused randomly and glanced at Shizune with a mildly concerned expression on her face.

"Shizune, where's Tonton?" Tsunade suddenly asked. Tonton? I thought and looked behind us to see a cute little pink pig with pearls sniffing interestedly at a nearby bush. I squealed with delight, startling the pig.

"Kawaii!"

Tsunade, Shizune, Naruto and Sakura (who recovered first, scowling at me before walking through the village gates) jumped as I approached the wary pig now looking at me uncertainly.

"Can I hold it?" Tsunade and Shizune look at each other and shrugged before Shizune answers.

"Sure, if Tonton will let you." Then the group turns and disappears into the Village. Tonton glances at me then stiffs my hand before oinking and allowing me to pick her up. The pig instantly snuggles into my arms and beaming, I hurry after my friends and our new Hokage.

~SAKURA P.O.V~

I was genuinely surprised when the Villagers and Shinobi stepped aside as we escorted Tsunade towards the Hospital and the Hokage Tower. I noticed Hikari and Naruto staring around at the gathering crowd, whispering amongst themselves before raised an eyebrow when Hikari randomly glares at a nearby villager. The villager deflated under the glare before scurrying off.

"Never mind …" I heard Naruto mutter before sighing.

Hikari pecked him on the cheek and hugged Naruto's arm – presumably for comfort. I rolled my eyes and turned to focus on our soon-to-be Hokage. I had learnt about Lady Tsunade during our studies at the Academy. Apparently, she was one of the famous Sannin and had control over the Slugs – which was why she was nicknamed the 'Slug Princess'. I was horrified to learn that she was once the teammate of that creepy Snake guy, Orochimaru, before he defected from Konoha. That evil bastard hurt my Sasuke – and I wouldn't rest until I get him back for it, if it was the last thing I ever did.

Then I would be happy.

Lady Tsunade was greeted warmly by the staff at the Hospital and fawned over before she impatiently asked for directions to her first patient. I winced sympathetically when I saw Lee's state. It was suspected that he not going to be able to retain the use of his arms or legs again. But then again, that was before Lady Tsunade arrived in Konoha. I couldn't wait to see her in action. I was still worried about Sasuke-kun though. How did he get hurt? I hate the fact that he seems to prefer Hikari over me, what does she have that I don't? I heard Lee moaning with pain and I glanced over to see Tsunade's hands hovering over his legs with glowing green chakra from her hands, presumably examining him. By the time she pulled away, she had a serious look on her face that didn't look promising.

"I've healed him the best I could. All he needs now is rest. Pass me those bandages, please."

A nearby nurse who seemed star-struck by Lady Tsunade, handed her a thick roll of white bandages and expertly bound Lee's legs together so that they were more secure and would heal faster. She had done it. Naruto, Hikari and I watched as Kakashi-sensei was healed, and we were told that our sensei would be good as new in a fortnight. Naruto and Hikari's faces beamed with excitement.

"Yes, no training for two weeks! WOO HOO! "

Hikari and Naruto started doing this weird dance in the middle of Kakashi's room. I admit that I was secretly thrilled too, but the expression on Lady Tsunade's face stopped me dead.

"Don't count on it." Her smirk looked positively evil.

All three of us shuddered with fear, then we groaned when realised that we had to train with Kakashi's absence. Damn, free time with Ino-pig down the drain. I decided to go visit Sasuke who was sleeping in his own Hospital room. When I got there, Sasuke was still sleeping in his bed with a slight breeze from the open window tossling his gorgeous hair a little. I suddenly got an idea and I turned and ran from the room.

By the time I got back carrying a tray with fresh peaches in a bowl, I saw him glancing quietly at Hikari who was sitting beside him with her head folded in her arms. Naruto was nowhere to be seen, which was weird. I would've thought Naruto would've been the first visitor Sasuke would've gotten.

~HIKARI P.O.V~ (about 5 minutes later)

The moment I stepped foot in Sasuke's room, I was ready to let him have it for being so pigheaded and stupid. However, the words I was going to say died on my lips. Sasuke looked like he had just recently woken up, but he also looked so lost and serious. Clearly, seeing Itachi again had shaken him up a lot … or he had just had a really disturbing dream – which was also most likely.

"Hey." Sasuke glanced over to me, nodded before glancing out the window again.

I frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Hn." He grunted, and I rolled my eyes.

Yeah, he must be okay if he's back to speaking in non-syllabic words. He was just feeling sorry for himself. I sighed before going over to his bed side and sat down. I reached over to take his hand, but he pulled it out of my reach.

"Don't." He murmured, "Don't touch me. I don't need any comforting." His voice was harsh and I flinched. Clearly, something else had happened during his reunion with Itachi. I stood up, sensing that I was unwelcome.

"Fine then, I'll go." I turned and started for the door before he stopped me.

"Stay." He demanded.

I didn't face him, but raised an eyebrow at his bipolar attitude. "I don't want you to leave, but don't touch me." He explained.

I paused deciding on my choice before turning around to sit. I stared at the side of his face, feeling pensive. Then I felt the anger return.

"Sasuke."

"Hn"

I knew he was listening. But it still bugged me that he didn't have the decency to at least look at me while I was speaking.

"Are you deliberately trying to get yourself killed?" I demanded getting straight to the point.

That caught his attention. I saw Sasuke's hands bunch up into fists, and glanced up to see him staring at me in outrage. I ignored that, I was more interested in the fact that I had almost lost somebody that I cared about.

"I know that one of your goals is to kill your brother, but couldn't you have waited just a little longer before acting on it?"

Sasuke's eyes turned hard, cruel and menacing, and I could've sworn a saw his eyes flicker red momentarily which meant his sharingan was about to appear.

"What's it to you, anyway?" It was my turn to bristle, "Why the hell do you care?" I stood up from my seat and got into his face.

"I care, because I don't want to lose you and I DON'T want you to die!" I snarled. Sasuke grabbed my wrist in a painful way.

"Do not patronise me." He threatened, "I don't recall asking you to care."

But I was beyond being threatened at this point. If Sasuke was bucking for a fight, he has one coming his way. It seemed obvious to me that Sasuke had forgotten one very important thing – something that we had in common ever since I first saw him sitting on the dock, and when I lost my mother.

"Do not think that you are the only person who has lost somebody, Sasuke. I want vengeance just as much as you do." Sasuke's grip on my wrist lessened slightly, but the expression on his face remained the same.

"I'm just as eager to get back at that BASTARD who murdered my mother in cold blood; but I'm not stupid enough to run head first into it, letting my grief and fury take over, like you apparently did if those bruises around your neck haven't already spoken volumes."

Tears started forming in my eyes and I ripped my wrist from his grasp glaring at him incredulously and sank down into the chair. The memories of that horrible night were still very fresh in my mind, despite the fact the incident had happened months ago.

"Don't take my family away from me, again." I mumbled, a tear escaping and trailing down my cheek. I felt a hand wiping away the tears and then carding gently through my hair. I glanced up, slightly blinded by the tears building up underneath my eyes. Sasuke still looked angry, but it also did look like he was slightly guilty for what was said and for making me cry. He opened his mouth to say something when there was a soft knock at the door.

We both glanced over to see Sakura standing there holding a tray of food, looking confused and slightly territorial. I felt him remove his hand and I looked up to see him turning away to stare out of the window. I wiped my eyes before getting to my feet.

"Hi Sasuke-kun. How are you feeling?" Sakura asked seeming to ignore the fact that I had been crying and had been having a moment with Sasuke a short time ago. He didn't reply and I chose that moment to leave.

"I'll see you at home, Sasuke." I took the long way home through the business district to the Uchiha compound, using that time to go over my thoughts.

Revenge isn't everything, Sasuke ...

~SAKURA P.O.V~

Hikari brushed passed me in a hurry, tears streaming down her face. I glanced over at Sasuke. There wasn't anything different about him – still cold, mysterious and maybe a little more angry. I smiled, clearly Sasuke had told Hikari to get lost – like he did with every other fangirl that had approached him with that hopeful look in their eyes. Yes, now it was my chance to win his heart – like it should've been.

"Sasuke-kun, I brought you some food. I hope you're hungry."

He didn't respond, just continued staring out of the window. I frowned. Maybe I need to up my game. I placed the tray of food in front of him and sat down at the chair Hikari had just recently left. I beamed – hoping Sasuke would like my 'wife-like' skills of cooking for him. Sasuke glanced down at the bowl of peaches in his lap with an expressionless look.

"I hope you'll get better soon. Then we can go training together and maybe get -"

CRASH!

I froze in horror.

Sasuke's face immediately went menacing and with one swipe of his arm sent the tray of peaches flying across the room. I struggled not to scream when that happened. I stared at Sasuke in horror and gulped. His eyes had those sharingans pin-wheeling in them and when he spoke his words were like sharp ice shards.

"S-sasuke-kun?" I stammered.

"You're annoying." He said. I didn't understand – what did I do wrong? I reached out to calm him down but he moved away.

"But Sasuke ..."

"Leave!" He yelled.

I rose to my feet but didn't immediately go. Sasuke's eyes narrowed even further. I took a step away – I had never seen him so angry before. I never felt so fearful for my life before around him.

"Are you deaf? I said leave, you're a waste of space!"

"Teme!"

We glanced up to see Naruto standing in the doorway looking angry. I immediately moved to stop Naruto from saying anything stupid before Sasuke could really lose his temper.

"Naruto, you idiot – get lost!" I snapped, forgetting that I was supposed to be leave myself.

The loser ignored me.

"What did you say to Hikari-chan?" Naruto demanded stomping into Sasuke's hospital room. I glanced at Sasuke expecting him to retort with something harsh but instead saw him smirking.

"Hey!? I asked you a question!" Naruto insisted.

Sasuke's smirk turned into a sneer.

"Fight me, dobe!" Sasuke demanded.

My mouth dropped open in shock. So did Naruto's. "What?"

"Are you hard of hearing are well as moronic, dobe?" Naruto growled at the insult.

"I said fight me!"

Naruto's angry expression shifted into a menacing smirk – one that I had never seen on his face before. My eyes widened in horror.

"Sure. Let's party." Naruto agreed and turned leaving the room. Sasuke whipped aside his blanket, slid on his sandals and followed. I reached out and grabbed his arm.

"No Sasuke-kun, don't. You're still wounded from last time." I pleaded with him. Sasuke violently shook me off.

"I thought I told you to leave." He demanded in that cruel voice and disappeared out of the room.

Oh gods! I thought, I needed to stop them – but I knew that I wasn't strong enough to do that by myself. I needed help.

Hikari … I immediately ran as fast as I could to find her.

~HIKARI P.O.V~

THUD! THUD! THUD!

I sat up on my borrowed futon and glanced around the room for the source of the thudding. It took me seconds to realise that the frantic banging was coming downstairs from Sasuke's front door. I grumbled feeling less than enthused by the concept of getting up and for a second it reminded me of Shikamaru. I groaned when the thudding became even more frantic and I shuffled as quick as I could to answer the door and glare down the person responsible for waking me up.

THUDTHUDTHUDTHUDTHUD

"Alright already! Hold up a sec!" I growled and threw open the door.

I nearly closed it again when I realised that it was Sakura. Presumably, to bitch at me about Sasuke rejecting her again, and that it was somehow my fault. I glowered at her.

"What is it, Sakura? I was sleeping-"

"Sasuke and Naruto are about to start fighting!" Sakura sounded frantic. I yawned and turned heading for the couch.

"And?" I pulled a cushion onto my lap and hugged it to my chest, waiting for Sakura to get the point. "They always fight, Sakura."

Sakura did something very unlike her. She came in, seized my hand and started dragging me out of the door against my will.

"You don't understand, I think they're going to kill each other!" I took back my hand.

"You can't be serious?" Sakura shook her head, "Don't you think you're overreacting just a little?" I stood there with my arms folded.

"This time it was different. I've never seen Sasuke acting like this before. It's like he was an entirely different person." Sakura insisted – and this time I knew she wasn't kidding.

I did sense something off about Sasuke when he and I were verbally tongue-lashing each other. Plus, his sharingan nearly appeared, and that only happens when he was threatened or extremely pissed off about something. I decided to heed Sakura's fears and started pulling my sandals on.

"Alright, let's go." I agreed and Sakura immediately spun 'round and dashed out the door.

I moved to keep up with her. By the time we finally made it to the Hospital rooftop, Naruto and Sasuke were already in the middle of their fight. But it looked more like Sasuke was trying to kill Naruto rather than having one of their usual spar sessions. Neither were holding back on their strength and both had bloody lips and breathing heavily. Naruto's nose was gushing blood and I was worried about the amount flowing.

"What are you two doing? Stop this!" I screamed. Sasuke refused to take his eyes off of Naruto as he aimed a hard kick at his head.

"Stay out of this, Aino!" He snarled as Naruto ducked the kick.

Aino?

I felt all my anger and fear rising again. "No, I won't 'stay out of this'!" I snarled.

Sasuke ignored me. I was half-ready to charge in and knock some sense into Sasuke's thick head when both Naruto and Sasuke stopped fighting. Sakura and I held our breath - waiting to see what they were going to do next.

Both boys were now panting heavily and glaring at each other. I felt Sakura holding my shoulder in a vice-like grip – clearly feeling frightened and helpless at the situation, and for once I didn't blame her. Suddenly we could hear what Sakura and I thought were the sounds of thousands of squawking birds all speaking together at top speed, and a low whistling noise. I turned back and my eyes widened with shock. Sasuke was standing at a kimbo with one of his arms between his legs and holding onto his wrist. A bright electric blue charka was crackling around his hand – like he was holding lightning in his bare hand. While Naruto had somehow conjured up a clone which was vigorously spinning chakra into his outstretched hand into the shape of a pale blue ball of spinning chakra before disappearing all together.

"Oh shit!" I muttered.

Sakura's eyes widened even further as we glanced at each other. We both nodded, know that now was the right time to charge in and stop them both. Sakura immediately ran to stand in between them, holding out both arms to them.

"Stop it!" She screamed.

I charged at Sasuke – aiming to calm him down before he did any serious damage to Naruto. However, somebody unexpected beat me to it … Kakashi. I glowered at him.

Now he chooses to arrive!?

Our sensei grabbed Sasuke in headlock and wrestled him to the ground.

"Get off me!" Sasuke growled, trying to buck our sensei off his back.

His cold black eyes were still focused on Naruto whom immediately extinguished the swirling blue chakra ball when Kakashi intervened. I noticed the bandages wrapped around Kakashi's waist – which meant that he had obviously sensed what was going on up here, and had risked his recovery to come up here and intervene.

"Calm down, Sasuke." Kakashi demanded with this eerily calm voice that demanded we 'don't fuck with him'.

Sasuke chose to ignore him and continued to buck uncontrollably. I felt disgusted by his behaviour. So I did the only thing I could think of that could stop Sasuke behaving like a dick – I slapped him … hard. Kakashi, Naruto and Sakura looked at me with shock, while Sasuke glanced back at me with a stunned look on his face. I felt the angry tears falling down my face.

"Get a hold of yourself, Uchiha!" I ordered him before turning and leaving the rooftop. The last thing I heard before descending the stairs was Kakashi muttering,

"I think I better take another look at that seal ..."

xXx

It turned out that Sasuke's encounter with Itachi had weakened the seal Kakashi had placed upon Sasuke's curse mark, thus allowing Orochimaru's chakra to partially take him over and alter Sasuke's mood and ambition to gain the power he needed to destroy Itachi. So Kakashi fixed it up, and everything went back to normal – or as normal as it could possibly go.

However, I still felt betrayed.

I felt that Sasuke had given into too easily to the evil of that stupid seal on his shoulder, and didn't even try hard enough to resist. So I spent the rest of Sasuke's recovery at the Hospital and when he was released avoiding him at all costs, concerned that Sasuke's attitude was drastically changing. I was serious when I begged Sasuke not to destroy the last hope I had in having a family – made up of Naruto and himself.

I didn't want to lose him.

"Hikari?"

I pretended I was asleep when Sasuke's voice pierced the stillness of the bedroom I was temporarily living in. I heard him sighing before the wooden door slid shut. I relaxed and opened my eyes before panicking when the futon I was lying on descended slightly – indicating that somebody had just knelt down on it. Sasuke leant over my body and I could feel his warmth on my back and his hair tickling my cheek as he leant down to obviously see my face. I could tell that he knew I was faking it, but if he did he didn't say anything. Instead, I felt the warmth of his breath on my face and heard him chuckle.

"I'm sorry ..." He said.

I felt him brush his lips on my cheek before rising and I heard his footsteps walking away and the door sliding shut. I reached up and touched my cheek where his lips had been and smiled.

"I know ..." I whispered.

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